Two turns later, Zach attempted a Painter’s Servant, which was met with a Force+of+Will from Jonah, but Zach fired back with a Pyroblast, and the 1/3 entered play, making all cards blue. The turn after, Zach found and resolved a Grindstone, and Jonah picked up his cards.

Zach had the first play of the game in the form of a turn 1 Grindstone, and Jonah got on the board a turn later with a turn 2 Coralhelm+Commander. Zach simply played a land and passed back on his next turn, and when Jonah went for a turn 3 True-Name+Nemesis, Zach had the answer in the form of Pyroblast.

On his next turn, Zach went for an Ensnaring+Bridge. Jonah Dazed it, but Zach was able to pay, and he passed the turn with three cards in hand. Jonah untapped and studied the board. He leveled Coralhelm+Commander once, then attacked for 2, passing the turn with two mana up. Zach played a land, cast Sensei’s Divining Top, and ended his turn with two cards in hand. At his end step, Jonah bounced the Ensnaring+Bridge with Echoing+Truth.

Jonah considered his options for a moment before leveling his Coralhelm+Commander again, making it a 3/3, and attacking Zach down to 6. He passed again with two mana untapped. Zach used the Sensei’s Divining Top at Jonah’s end step, decided he didn’t like what he saw, and activated Grindstone targeting himself, falling to 4 from his Ancient+Tomb. He untapped and recast Ensnaring+Bridge, falling to 2. Jonah showed him a second copy of Echoing+Truth, and it was on to game 3.

Jonah Gaynor 1, Zach Sigman 1

GAME 3

Jonah is in the zone.

Jonah initiated proceedings in the decider with a turn 1 Aether+Vial. Zach had a 1-drop artifact of his own, casting Grindstone and passing back with a mountain untapped. Jonah had a Lord+of+Atlantis on his turn 2, and Zach looked to complete the combo on his third turn, casting Painter’s Servant, again with a conspicuous mountain untapped.

Jonah attempted to Force+of+Will the Painter’s Servant, exiling another Force+of+Will. Zach responded with a Red+Elemental+Blast, and the Painter’s Servant resolved, naming blue. Jonah slipped Cosi’s Trickster into play with Aether+Vial at Zach’s end step, then untapped and began doing math. He Vialed another Lord+of+Atlantis into play, attacked Zach down to 13, and passed the turn with two mana untapped.

Zach pondered for a moment before activating Grindstone and going for the kill. Jonah Echoing Truthed the Painter’s Servant in response, and was simply milled for 2. Zach had only a single untapped land, but he exiled Simian+Spirit+Guide to recast his Painter’s Servant and passed back.

Jonah needed help to close out the game. He drew a Silvergill+Adept for the turn, and Vialed it into play to draw a card. He simply attacked with his trio of 3/3 Merfolk, and Zach took the damage, falling to 4. He shipped the turn back, sitting on two untapped Islands to represent another Echoing+Truth.

Now Zach had to be cautious. Giving up another turn of tempo to an Echoing+Truth would mean losing the game to Jonah’s attackers. Zach took a moment in the tank before deciding he had no option but to go for it, and activated his Grindstone. Jonah extended the hand.